A New York couple built a 2,500-square-foot home for just $40,000 using online tutorials and materials collected from local dumps.
asserted
couple → build → dumps
They later sold it for $290,000 and used the money to make a sudden move to Florida without jobs or permanent housing arranged.
asserted
jobs → sell → Florida
Jessica Patrzyk, 34, and her husband left their life in rural Worth, New York, where they ran several businesses, including a coffee shop, retail stores, and a tarot reading service.
asserted
they → leave → shop
Wanting to live closer to the ocean, the family sold their home and businesses and moved south, according to an interview with Realtor.com.
uncertain
family → want → Realtor.com
They had built their four-bedroom, three-bathroom home themselves on two acres of land that Patrzyk received from her grandfather in exchange for a 55-inch television.
asserted
Patrzyk → build → television
Building on a budget
The couple had no formal construction experience, so they learned how to build through instructional videos on YouTube.
asserted
they → build → YouTube
They did most of the work themselves, including installing a water well and septic system to reduce costs.
asserted
They → do → costs
For the interior, Patrzyk collected used doors, windows, and kitchen cabinets from local waste disposal sites.
asserted
Patrzyk → collect → sites
The unusual home included lofts in every room and a 17-foot climbing wall that connected the ground floor with the upper level.
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that → include → level
Even though the house was in a remote part of upstate New York, it quickly attracted a buyer and sold within 90 days of being listed.
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it → attract → days
Patrzyk said her husband was initially nervous about suddenly leaving their longtime home.
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husband → say → home
We had lived in one place for so long.
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We → live → long
He thought the idea was crazy—I said, 'Get in the car,'” Patrzyk told Realtor.com.
asserted
Patrzyk → think → Realtor.com
“We had been talking about it for a while, but ultimately, it was a last-minute decision.
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it → talk → while
I told my family about the move pretty shortly before we started driving to Florida.”
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we → tell → Florida
Looking for a new home
asserted
Looking → look → home
After packing their belongings into a rented moving truck that cost $5,000, the family drove to Florida.
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family → pack → Florida
They stayed at a hotel outside Tampa while looking for a rental home.
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They → stay → home
Over two weeks, they visited more than 65 rental properties in several coastal and inland cities.
asserted
they → visit → cities
The family first considered buying a three-storey motor yacht in Stuart, Florida, for $275,000 so they could live on the water.
uncertain
they → consider → water
However, expensive marina fees and concerns from their pre-teen daughter made them reconsider and look for a regular home.
asserted
them → make → home
Their search eventually took them to San Antonio, Florida.
asserted
search → take → Antonio
There, they met a local landlord who managed several properties near the Mirada Lagoon development.
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who → meet → development
The family signed an 18-month lease for a newly built six-bedroom home on a cul-de-sac.
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family → sign → sac
They secured the property at a reduced monthly rent of $3,200.
asserted
They → secure → 3,200
Neither Patrzyk nor her husband had a job waiting for them when they arrived in Florida.
asserted
they → have → Florida
Patrzyk soon took and passed the state real estate exam and got a job as an agent with 54 Realty.
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Patrzyk → take → Realty
Her husband originally planned to use veteran benefits to attend fire academy training.
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husband → plan → training
However, the program was already full, so he decided to take business courses instead.
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he → decide → courses
The couple later joined a special training program called Zero-to-Hero at Calypso Divers of Tampa Bay.
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couple → join → Bay
The program is funded through US Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits and trains beginners to become certified PADI scuba diving instructors.
asserted
program → fund → beginners
Both now work as professional diving instructors, while Patrzyk continues working in real estate.
asserted
Patrzyk → work → estate
Patrzyk said their daily life is very different from what they were used to in rural New York.
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they → say → York
“In New York, we had a field—and cows,” Patrzyk told Realtor.com.
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Patrzyk → have → Realtor.com
“In Florida, we have skydiving, scuba diving, hot-air ballooning, hang gliding, golfing, bowling, kayaking, indoor skydiving, swimming with manatees, and visiting aquariums.”
asserted
we → have → aquariums
Adjusting to stricter building rules
Although Patrzyk enjoys the wider range of activities in Florida, she said adapting to the state’s building rules has been difficult.
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adapting → adjust → rules
Their old New York property allowed them to carry out some construction and electrical work without permits, something that would not be allowed under Florida regulations.
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that → allow → regulations
“I miss the freedom of our New York property.
asserted
I → miss → property
We could build what we wanted without permits,” Patrzyk said in the Realtor.com interview.
uncertain
Patrzyk → build → interview
“My husband did electrical work there, but here, there are so many restrictions and permitting requirements that it's hard to get things done.”
asserted
things → do → work
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
